Sovna NaikKauai, the oldest island in Hawaii is one of the most beautiful Islands we have been to. The amount of diversity and natural beauty it offers is beyond imagination. It has everything from mountain cliffs to cascading waterfalls, from rainforests to rivers, if at all eyes could contain it!
It was our third destination during our trip to the Hawaiian Islands, the first two were Big Island and Maui.
Day 1
We took the flight from Maui(Kahului Airport) to Kauai(Lihue Airport) in the evening after that we took our rental car and headed towards Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay where we had our booking for the rest of our trip. After checking in we did enjoy the sunset(which was behind the clouds) from our room and enjoyed popular mai tai. (PS: you are going to see a lot of roosters and hens all over the island!)
Day 2
We woke up early to witness the magnificent sunrise by the beach. The roar of the ocean and the calmness around elevated the beauty altogether and made us decide to wake up to see the sunrise for the rest of our trip on the island. After the sunrise, we had our breakfast at the hotel and finally got ready to officially begin exploring the Island.
After that, we headed towards Niihau Lookout and the views from the lookout were just spectacular. The river winding through the mountains is definitely the star of the show, just a peaceful place to spend a few minutes of your time while on the Island.
The next stop we took was at Red Dirt Waterfall, it’s a small walk from the roadside parking area which directly takes you to the waterfall. The fall is not very grand, but the red soil makes it look unique. It is definitely worth a visit at least for a few minutes but, keep in mind the location because it is very easy to miss out while driving.
Finally, we reached Waimea Canyon State Park, and no wonder it is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is literally huge with sweeping views of the canyon as you go further into the state park, it provides breathtaking vistas of the waterfall and mountains from different scenic overlooks. If you do not have any other time commitments you can explore various trails and hiking options from the state park.
Later, we went to Kokee Natural History Museum where we strolled inside the museum and got some interesting information. Since it was already lunch time we took a lunch break at Koke’e Lodge. I had never seen so many roosters and hens together in one place so we bought bird food from the gift shop and offered it to them. PS: It was indeed fun to watch those birds running around from a distance to eat those grains or maybe they had the feeling of fear of missing out.
The next destination of the day was Kalalau Lookout, definitely a jaw-dropping moment for us. It basically gives a hint of what the Napali Coast is going to look like. It is definitely one of the must-visit locations on the Island and we were very lucky because the time we visited the sky was clear which gave an unobstructed view of the cliffs and the ocean.
After that, we returned to our hotel and enjoyed the sunset. We tried the food at Namaste Indian Food and fell in love with it(must try Indian food truck).
Day 3
The next day was definitely the big day for us because we had booked a helicopter ride to explore the magnificent Napali Coast. We had booked the ride online from Island Helicopters Kauai before the trip. It was expensive but it gave us the experience of a lifetime, worth every penny. You have the option of exploring the Napali Coast via cruise, we were indifferent earlier but finally decided to take the helicopter ride. Words won’t ever suffice for the beauty it offers numerous waterfalls all at once, the cliffs, the rivers, the crashing waves onto the shore, and whatnot. Truly life felt contained in nature’s masterpiece.
After the ride, we went to Wailua Falls which was again beautiful. We could see a lot of scenic overlooks along the way and hence took a few random breaks to explore those vista points. Don’t forget to have shaved ice when on the Island.
We returned to our place and enjoyed the sunset by the beach and called it a night.
Day 4
After breakfast, we decided to explore the north side of the island and headed towards Maniniholo Dry Cave which is a huge spectacular cave and you can actually walk under it. On the other side of the cave is Ha’ena Beach and waves were quite in action the day we visited. It’s a perfect place to spend the rest of the day with family. While returning back we went to one of the local farmers’ markets where we had coconut ice cream, and it was delicious.
Later, we headed toward Hanalei where we saw the Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church, walked around the place, had lunch at one of the local restaurants, and finally made it to Hanalei Pier. It was kind of a gloomy day but it’s definitely worth the visit.
We made our way to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, this destination is a must-visit location on the island. The vista point is so surreal, with the lighthouse just elevating the beauty. During the time of our visit, we did get to see whales at distance, which is always a pleasure. Even you get to see red-footed boobies who nest on the crater hill next to the cove. Do check the timing of the Visitor Center before visiting. We had pre-booked the entry time to the location. We wanted to stay there a bit longer but it was almost closing time.
Here you can actually see waves in action. Later we had dinner and returned back to our place and enjoyed the sunset.
Day 5
It was the last day on the island and we wanted to make the most out of it. We headed south towards Spouting Horn Park, it’s a blowhole sprouting water when the tides are correct and can go high up sometimes. It’s definitely worth a quick stop.
Later, we headed towards Poipu Beach which is one of the popular beaches on the island. We made a few other random stops in between to just soak in the landscape. We drove through Hulemalu Road and the vistas are magnificent. That’s all about our trip to the Garden Island of Hawaii- Kauai. Aloha!
